Jamaica — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Jamaica, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Jamaica was 69.57% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 71.24% in 1990. The lowest was 60.49% in 2010 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.07% per year.
Jamaica ranks 31 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 17%. The median for Latin America & Caribbean is 63.14%, so Jamaica sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 2% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 6%. Within Latin America & Caribbean it ranks 5 of 31 economies; St. Lucia (68.27%) is just below it. That is 4% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 37th of 187 in 1990 → 54th of 187 in 2000 → 97th of 187 in 2010 → 56th of 187 in 2020 → 30th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 69.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 69.44% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 69.47% | +1.8 pp |
| 2022 | 67.65% | +2.0 pp |
| 2021 | 65.69% | +0.9 pp |
| 2020 | 64.83% | -2.1 pp |
| 2019 | 66.97% | +1.5 pp |
| 2018 | 65.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 65.67% | +0.8 pp |
| 2016 | 64.92% | -0.6 pp |
| 2015 | 65.5% | +2.9 pp |
| 2014 | 62.55% | +0.7 pp |
| 2013 | 61.84% | +1.1 pp |
| 2012 | 60.73% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 60.82% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 60.49% | -1.7 pp |
| 2009 | 62.18% | -2.2 pp |
| 2008 | 64.39% | -0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 64.67% | -0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 64.94% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 65.18% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 65.36% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 65.4% | -0.4 pp |
| 2002 | 65.76% | -0.4 pp |
| 2001 | 66.11% | -0.6 pp |
| 2000 | 66.67% | -0.6 pp |
| 1999 | 67.24% | -0.7 pp |
| 1998 | 67.97% | -0.5 pp |
| 1997 | 68.46% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 68.95% | -0.4 pp |
| 1995 | 69.4% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 69.82% | -0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 70.2% | -0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 70.56% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 70.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 71.24% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Jamaica’s Labor participation in 1991?
70.89% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Jamaica’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -2.3% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 69.57%; 2024: 69.44%; 2023: 69.47%; 2022: 67.65%; 2021: 65.69%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.